New kimberlite field in Botswana?

The identification and confirmation of a new kimberlite field in Botswana could be on the cards.

TSXV-listed diamond explorer Pangolin Diamonds is evaluating a 10 km² prospecting licence in Botswana, 100 km south-east of the Orapa kimberlite field. Known as the MSC project (within the Malatswae prospecting licence), it has yielded 16 diamonds to date from soil samples undertaken by Pangolin – screened at +0.425 mm to 2.0 mm.

The company indicates that should kimberlite pipes be discovered in the MSC project area, a new kimberlite field will be defined. At present, Pangolin notes that the diamonds are concentrated in four different zones within the MSC project area, suggesting multiple diamondiferous kimberlite sources.

“In addition to diamonds, we have found indicator minerals such as garnet, ilmenite, olivine and a mantle xenolith fragment in soil samples within the MSC project area,” the company states. This is highly indicative of diamond-bearing areas.

Further to this, friable kimberlite has been observed attached to indicator minerals, suggesting a nearby source. Recent detailed ground-magnetic surveys over four contiguous survey blocks outlined a series of anomalies consistent with geometrical features of kimberlite pipes. Two of the anomalies are spatially and directly associated with two diamonds and several garnets and ilmenites recovered from previous soil sampling programmes.

Additional anomalies identified within the blocks have yet to be covered with soil sampling.

The discovery of diamonds and indicators with kimberlite makes the MSC project area a priority. Pangolin has two exploration teams active on the property conducting detailed ground-magnetic surveys, audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) surveys, and high-density soil sampling.

Select four-hectare sample blocks (100 m x 400 m) are being soil sampled with a spacing of 25 m. The 100 litre samples are processed and sorted for indicator minerals at Pangolin’s facilities near Francistown. To date, only one soil sample block has been processed.  A diamond was recovered from one of the samples, consistent with previous diamond recoveries reported from the MSC project area. Soil sampling programmes are ongoing.

Pangolin confirmed its exploration method in July 2018 with the discovery of a kimberlite dike some 24 km north of MSC. That discovery coincides a ground-magnetic anomaly on strike that needs to be investigated with high-density soil sampling. At current fieldwork rates, it is expected that drilling of the newly identified targets at MSC will take place in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Source: miningreview.com